The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3061] From: Dr Charles Keith / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr John Cook (Cooke; of Gallowhill; of Ogle. ) (Patient), Miss Marr (Patient) / 29 July 1787 / (Incoming)
Letter from Charles Keith, concerning John Cook of Gallowhill and Miss Marr. Cook is described as 'that unaccountable Oddity', who is still drinking excessively, to the extent that his hands are shaking, and his legs swollen. Miss Marr's cough has improved since visiting the coast, although she now has a knee ailment. Dr Keith outlines the medical history of her late parents and of her brother.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 3061 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/2094 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 29 July 1787 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Letter from Charles Keith, concerning John Cook of Gallowhill and Miss Marr. Cook is described as 'that unaccountable Oddity', who is still drinking excessively, to the extent that his hands are shaking, and his legs swollen. Miss Marr's cough has improved since visiting the coast, although she now has a knee ailment. Dr Keith outlines the medical history of her late parents and of her brother. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:909] |
Case of John Cook of Gallowhill, who suffers from phlegm and other ailments exacerbated by excessive drinking. |
20 |
| [Case ID:2499] |
Case of Miss Marr, who has a cough and a knee ailment. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:3387] | Author | Dr Charles Keith |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3495] | Patient | Mr John Cook (Cooke; of Gallowhill; of Ogle. ) |
| [PERS ID:3698] | Patient | Miss Marr |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:5202] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr John Wilson |
| [PERS ID:1452] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Charles Brown |
| [PERS ID:3387] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Charles Keith |
| [PERS ID:544] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) |
| [PERS ID:5220] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Marr |
| [PERS ID:5221] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Marr |
| [PERS ID:5222] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Morpeth | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Morpeth | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Morpeth | North-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Since I wrote to you about
six months ago I have neither seen nor heard
from that unaccountable Oddity John Cook
till this morning that I have a message
Mr. Wilson the surgeon ↑has attended↑ till within
then three weeks & I believe occasionally
Dr. Brown of Newcastle –– He desires ↑me↑ to inclose
two Guineas & let you know his situation, but
he is so sory a wretch that he will not
afford a Guinea for my ride & therefore sent
a verbal message concerning his complaint
& that I may possibly have nothing for my
trouble is to have a servant in Town on
Wednesday morning when he expects your
answer –– Indeed if he had not sent you
the inclosed I should not have taken up
the Pen on such a subject ––
The Man who came to me
[Page 2]
this morning tells me that he drinks great
quantities of Ale & Wine, but not so m (↑so↑) much
spirits as formerly, that he will be for four
or five night without going to Bed, but
that he sits up & sleeps a good deal, that
he eats little or none except a few
Vegetables, that his colour is good, & that he
appears to gain flesh; at same time his
Legs are somewhat & his Thighs considerably
swelled & that it is impossible to persuade
him to put on a pair of Breeches adapted
to the swelling –– His Belly is costive &
what he complains of particularly is a
very frequent throwing up of Phlegm
His hands are so tremulous
that he can carry nothing to his head,
so that I suppose others administer Drink
which he will have – This such as it is,
is the best account I can give of him –– My
best compliments Dr. Henry & all the good Family
That you may long enjoy good health
& continue the Ornament of your Profession
in the sincere wish of
your most Obliged
and very Humble Servant
[Page 3]
P.S. The Man tells me that Mr. Cook is
always [wont?] when he does not throw up
the Phlegm; He has not been on Horseback
for a Month – What would you think of
proposing a Jaunt for him ; this would tend
to steal ↑him↑ a little from his Drinks unless
he should take it into his head to carry it
along with him – Might Chalybeate Waters
be tried with the most positive injunction
that during their use he should only
drink a certain quantity of Liquor, tho'
I am much inclined to believe that
we would not possible get him to
comply with this injunction. – These
means if proper might shew him
that there were still some resources, tho' to
say truth you have almost exhausted
ingenuity in prescribing for him ––
You will remember Miss Marr the Girl
with the pectoral complaints ↑she↑ has never been quite free of
cough since you saw her –– About six weeks ↑ago↑ she went down to
the Coast & lived three weeks by the sea during which time
the cough almost entirely went off –– On her return to
Morpeth it returned, but within these eight or ten Days one
of her knees has been swelled & painful since which the
cough has abated considerably She got a hurt in the
affected knee a Dozen years ago since which she has
had pain & swelling in it occasionally, does not
[Page 4]
recollect that her Feet, or the other knee was affected
now ↑does↑ she remember before that the cough abated on the
accession of the Pain Her Father died of Gout & she had a
Brother affected with it at an early period. Pulse 66
menses regular, but in small quantity – Appetite much
increased she since she went to the Sea Coast where she
intends returning for a fortnight –– If the cough keep very
moderate might she bathe – (Her mother who died lately had
a cough for thirty years) –– Has gain'd flesh lately ––
Doctor William Cullen
Professor of Medicine
in the University
of Edinburgh
Dr. Keith
Concerning Mr. Cook &
Miss Marr
July 1787
V. XIX. P.213
Diplomatic Text
Since I wrote to you about
six months ago I have neither seen nor heard
from that unaccountable Oddity John Cook
till this morning that I have a message
Mr. Wilson the surgeon ↑has attended↑ till within
then three weeks & I believe occasionally
Dr. Brown of Newcastle –– He desires ↑me↑ to inclose
two Guineas & let you know his situation, but
he is so sory a wretch that he will not
afford a Guinea for my ride & therefore sent
a verbal message concerning his complaint
& that I may possibly have nothing for my
trouble is to have a servant in Town on
Wednesday morning when he expects your
answer –– Indeed if he had not sent you
the inclosed I should not have taken up
the Pen on such a subject ––
The Man who came to me
[Page 2]
this morning tells me that he drinks great
quantities of Ale & Wine, but not so m (↑so↑) much
spirits as formerly, that he will be for four
or five night without going to Bed, but
that he sits up & sleeps a good deal, that
he eats little or none except a few
Vegetables, that his colour is good, & that he
appears to gain flesh; at same time his
Legs are somewhat & his Thighs considerably
swelled & that it is impossible to persuade
him to put on a pair of Breeches adapted
to the swelling –– His Belly is costive &
what he complains of particularly is a
very frequent throwing up of Phlegm
His hands are so tremulous
that he can carry nothing to his head,
so that I suppose others administer Drink
which he will have – This such as it is,
is the best account I can give of him –– My
best compts. Dr. Henry & all the good Family
That you may long enjoy good health
& continue the Ornament of your Profession
in the sincere wish of
your most Obliged
and very Humble Servt
[Page 3]
P.S. The Man tells me that Mr. Cook is
always [wont?] when he does not throw up
the Phlegm; He has not been on Horseback
for a Month – What would you think of
proposing a Jaunt for him ; this would tend
to steal ↑him↑ a little from his Drinks unless
he should take it into his head to carry it
along with him – Might Chalybeate Waters
be tried with the most positive injunction
that during their use he should only
drink a certain quantity of Liquor, tho'
I am much inclined to believe that
we would not possible get him to
comply with this injunction. – These
means if proper might shew him
that there were still some resources, tho' to
say truth you have almost exhausted
ingenuity in prescribing for him ––
You will remember Miss Marr the Girl
with the pectoral complaints ↑she↑ has never been quite free of
cough since you saw her –– About six weeks ↑ago↑ she went down to
the Coast & lived three weeks by the sea during which time
the cough almost entirely went off –– On her return to
Morpeth it returned, but within these eight or ten Days one
of her knees has been swelled & painful since which the
cough has abated considerably She got a hurt in the
affected knee a Dozen years ago since which she has
had pain & swelling in it occasionally, does not
[Page 4]
recollect that her Feet, or the other knee was affected
now ↑does↑ she remember before that the cough abated on the
accession of the Pain Her Father died of Gout & she had a
Brother affected with it at an early period. Pulse 66
menses regular, but in small quantity – Appetite much
increased she since she went to the Sea Coast where she
intends returning for a fortnight –– If the cough keep very
moderate might she bathe – (Her mother who died lately had
a cough for thirty years) –– Has gain'd flesh lately ––
Doctor William Cullen
Professor of Medicine
in the University
of Edinburgh
Dr. Keith
C. Mr. Cook &
Miss Marr
July 1787
V. XIX. P.213
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